Wow...That Was Really...Bad!

So it came to be one night a few weeks ago that my husband, my cousin and I were seeking something to eat. We had been running around and had planned to eat at a small local take out joint, but when the line went out the door, my husband put his foot down. He needed to eat. Now.

So we went to a neighbourhood chain that we had never had occasion to visit before. Applebee's is large, well known, and always busy. How bad an Eating Experience could it be? Weeeellllll...



Good Point #1: Calorie-Counters menu. Easy to understand, lots of choice. I had the steak and shrimp with mixed veggies.

Bad Point #1: Watery, obviously frozen veggies and rubber shrimp. Yuck!

Good Point #2: Build your own appetizer platter. Choose any three you like, and from a fairly wide selection. Loved the riblets, and the steak quesadilla towers were a hit with my spicy-loving cousin and hubby.

Bad Point #2: The spinach and artichoke dip was just this side of revolting. A glue-like tasteless concotion.

Good Point #3: All three of us had one form of steak or another, and all of them were cooked as asked. Pretty tasty too.

Bad Point #3: Again with the glue! This time it was the mashed potatoes. If you're short on drywall mud, be my guest, but otherwise, steer clear of that side.

Good Point #4: Service. Friendly. Seated right away, everything came quickly. All the servers worked as a team, and rather than risk something not being brought, they brought it a second time. Personally, I'd rather have it twice than not at all.

Bad Point #4: PRICE! Seriously...$120 for three people??? For spackle-like mash, Elmer's Glue Dip, and frozen vegetables? Seriously??? We could have gone to a proper steakhouse, had a half litre of wine, dessert, and maybe have spent that. Plus the meal would have been far more gastronomically enjoyable.

Verdict: Not a chance in the Fifth Ring of Hell would any one of the three of us go back there. Not to put too fine a point on it. Although I suppose we should have known better. It's not the sort of place we would normally go, and now, we remember why.

But the number of people that frequent this place astounded me. It's always packed. What on earth is the draw? Is there some elusive, tastier, less expensive menu that you have to know the secret handshake to get?